5 Budget Bathroom Upgrades

By: the editors of This Old House

1.  Take It Down a Notch

Don’t get all worked up trying to fix things up. For a mere pittance, you can add sparkle to the areas of your house where you relax. This Old House editors show you how.

2. Install a Ceiling Fan

How to do it: Install a vintage-look ceiling fan to recirculate warmed air in winter. Reverse the blades’ spin to lower summer cooling costs.

3.  Waterproof a Kid’s Bath

How to do it: Adhere rubber floor tiles to the wall for a lively waterproof backsplash in a kid’s bathroom. Coat the tile backs with adhesive and stick them up.

4.  Add Vintage Sparkle

How to do it: Swap out a plain powder room doorknob for a vintage glass sparkler. Leave the hallway-facing knob in place for a unified look with the rest of your doors.

5. Use a Ladder as a Bath-towel Rack

How to do it: Lean it against a wall and sling bath sheets and washcloths over its rungs. The white metal ladder shown here is new.